Robert Jenrick has advocated for the detention of asylum seekers in “camps” resembling “rudimentary prisons,” seemingly aiming to surpass Reform with an aggressive stance on immigration.
In his conversation with Tim Shipman for the Spectator, the shadow justice secretary expressed his desire for a “decade of net emigration” to give Britain some “breathing space” after what he described as a chaotic period of migration.
Jenrick acknowledged some merits in Nigel Farage’s immigration plan but criticized Reform’s proposal to house asylum seekers.
“Asylum seekers should be detained in camps, not holiday camps,” he remarked, disagreeing with Reform’s suggestions of cabins with fencing.
He assaulted Reform for focusing on deporting undocumented men, instead of women and children, a stance Farage had to retract just a day after unveiling his proposals.
Jenrick appears to be maneuvering for the Conservative party to outrank Farage on immigration by criticizing Reform’s policy as exploitative towards vulnerable groups.
Responding to what he termed a “moment of radicalization,” Jenrick recounted a meeting with a single mother at a protest, who strategically placed workmen’s boots outside to dissuade potential intruders.
Another influence was his visit to Dover with Natalie Elphicke, where he witnessed migrants directly accessing residents’ properties to steal food, which he said showed Westminster’s disconnect.
Jenrick asserted that while unauthorized migration is harmful, legal migration is just as detrimental due to its immense pressure on public services and has called for a halt in low-skilled migration.
Jenrick advocated for the UK to experience a period of net emigration to counteract the recent influx of low-skilled workers and their dependents.
While Britain was a net emigration country from the 1960s to 1980s and over half a million people left the UK last year, his goal is not to close the border entirely, but to remain open to highly skilled workers like coders, doctors, and business leaders.
Jenrick denied trying to outshine Kemi Badenoch’s anticipated immigration policy at the Tory party conference, expressing support for her detailed policy-making approach.
However, he did not hold back from criticizing Priti Patel’s points-based immigration system, calling it the “worst policy mistake” of his lifetime.
